Osaka Popstar & the American Legends of Punk (Bonus DVD)

Punk rock revolutionaries have united to form the super-group OSAKA POPSTAR!

Fronted by long-time Misfits collaborator JOHN CAFIERO and featuring the legendary MARKY RAMONE (THE RAMONES), JERRY ONLY (THE MISFITS), DEZ CADENA (BLACK FLAG) and IVAN JULIAN (RICHARD HELL & THE VOIDOIDS), OSAKA POPSTAR’s superhero line-up rips through their first disc, doing justice to the best of New York City punk rock. Says CAFIERO: "It’s great to work with your friends and who better for a band than the guys who started the scene? This is my own personal Punk Rock And Roll Hall of Fame."

The album boast tracks like "I Live Off You," "Astro Boy," "Monsters," "Love Comes In Spurts" and "Shaolin Monkeys," among others. The first single, "Wicked World" was written by renowned indie folk music icon Daniel Johnston, who also contributes vocals on a fervent cow-punk version of the traditional bluegrass lament "Man of Constant Sorrow."

The bonus DVD is highlighted by a music video for "Wicked World" animated by Japanese designer Mari-Chan. Also featured on the DVD is the exclusive music video for "Insects," directed by commercial guru Joel Veitch (known for his Quiznos "Spongemonkeys" TV ads as well as his own UK Channel 4 program "Rather Good Videos").

In addition, CAFIERO has assembled a posse of colossal visual artists to complete an over-the-top, high energy, bursting-with-color package, including original Topps bubble-gum card guru John Pound (Wacky Packs artist and creator of the Garbage Pail Kids), Space Monkeys designer and urban legend Dalek, Batman and Justice League wizard Butch Lukic. and Tragnark who is working closely with CAFIERO in developing the "Shaolin Monkeys" character designs, based on the original Osaka Popstar tune of the same name, for an animated series.

Competent pop-punk acts are a dime a dozen these days; actually, since the genre's fall from pop chart status a few years ago, you can probably snatch them up even cheaper than that. If you yearn for something new in this vein but with more street cred than a Max's Kansas City reunion, consider Osaka Popstar and the American Legends of Punk. Here we've got Black Flag's Dez Cadena, Ivan Julian from the Voidoids, Marky Ramone his own damn self, and Jerry Only and John Cafiero from the Misfits. If you're paying attention, these are the most interesting and least-heralded members of each of these bands, all of them punk pioneers. What do they do? Record a super fun, loud, Japanese-animation-themed album with super rowdy covers of traditional Southern and Daniel Johnston songs, of course. The whole thing is such a crazy cultural washing machine, no wonder they're pretending to be Osaka superstars on the cover. Here's hoping they all make millions. --Mike McGonigal